Veterans vanishing from Congress

Only 20 percent of today’s lawmakers have served in the military, the lowest rate since World War II and a dramatic fall from over 70 percent in the 1970s.

And that figure could sink even lower after this fall’s midterms.

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In this year’s congressional primaries, the number of veterans winning party nominations has fallen strikingly compared with the 2012 cycle, according to research from the Veterans Campaign, an organization that helps former soldiers run for office.

“The numbers are down significantly,” said Seth Lynn, executive director of the Veterans Campaign. “I think there was a pretty big push before, when the wars were a bigger issue in elections, to have veterans running, especially among Democrats. … And that may not be as big of a deal anymore.”

As the number of veterans in Congress continues to decline, veterans groups and military advocates worry that lawmakers are increasingly distanced from issues such as combat-related injuries, veterans’ health care and sequestration’s effects.

The decline of former members of the military in Congress largely correlates to broader population trends. Much larger percentages of the population served in World War II and the Vietnam War because a draft was in effect.

In a symbolic end of an era, the 113th Congress will almost certainly be the last with any World War II veterans. There were three at the start of 2013, but Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) died last year, Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) is retiring and Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas) lost his primary.

Many military and veterans backers on the Hill are not veterans, but advocates for the military say personal experience remains critical.

“Having military experience is by no means a requirement and necessity, but I think it’s a benefit,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a lawyer in the Air Force Reserves. “Having been deployed, having served overseas, having understood what military families go through is all helpful.”

Alex Nicholson, a legislative director for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said veterans in Congress often have a firsthand understanding of military health problems like post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, which can prove invaluable in explaining the issues to their colleagues.

Veterans who serve as lawmakers are also lauded for working across the aisle, a much-needed skill in today’s partisan environment. “I think veterans have the ability to bridge the polarized gap,” said Allen Weh, a colonel in the Marine Reserves running as a Republican for the Senate in New Mexico.

Nicholson said it was Democratic veterans in the House, for instance, who helped signal to congressional leadership — and the White House — that the recent Veterans Affairs scandal that ensnared former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki was more than just a partisan attack.

“The big thing is they have credibility among their colleagues,” Nicholson said. “And when they talk to their colleagues and say, ‘This is an issue, this needs to be a priority,’ they get listened to.”

Several veterans running for office have also made it a top priority to end the military cuts under sequestration, while others say their experience makes them consider the prospect of war differently.

“We all know that war is a horrible, horrible thing,” said Steven Hobbs, a Democratic Washington state senator and Army veteran who ran for Congress in 2012. “Once it happens, you put on the uniform — you answer the call — but perhaps if you had more veterans in office, Congress would be less likely to go to war.”

But as the military has withdrawn from Iraq and made plans to do so in Afghanistan, candidates on the trail this year are talking less about war and more about health care, jobs and the broader economy.

Former Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) was the first Iraq War veteran to win a seat in Congress, and he made changing course in Iraq a major part of his 2006 campaign.